


You're An Ocean In One Drop

by bespokenboy



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Smut, cruise ship au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-02
Updated: 2015-01-02
Packaged: 2018-03-04 23:53:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3097241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bespokenboy/pseuds/bespokenboy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What happens when two lonely souls find each other on board the Atlantic Thunder.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You're An Ocean In One Drop

  
With every lungful of muggy, polluted air he takes in while the ship is docked, Chanyeol can feel himself growing weaker. The sun is harsher here, without a forgiving ocean breeze. Most of the staff on the Atlantic Thunder can't wait for the few hours of rest between tours, but after three hours of wandering the crowded port city, Chanyeol can't wait to return to the comforting isolation of floating out in the middle of the sea.   
  
It's the best summer gig he could have possibly asked for, being the resident photographer on a cruise ship. He gets to meet new people every week, learn their stories, and help them memorialize their vacation. Unfortunately, it's the last week Chanyeol will be able to spend on board, as he has to return to college the following week.   
  
Nevertheless, this week is also one of the busiest weeks for cruise ships, so Chanyeol knows that he'll have an action-packed tour.   
  
Chanyeol takes pride in the fact that he's the first to greet people as they shuffle their way onto the main deck of the ship. With clicks and flashes, he captures the awestruck looks of delight on the passengers' faces when they're greeted with the first sight of a weeklong paradise.   
  
There are couples both young and old, groups of rowdy friends, families with squealing children, but on this specific cruise, one passenger in particular catches Chanyeol's eye.   
  
"Just me," the man chuckles awkwardly, running his fingers through his stringy blond hair. His dark roots are peeking through, adding to the overall disheveledness of his appearance.   
  
But he composes himself into a brilliant, self-assured smile when Chanyeol crouches into photographer position.   
  
"Excellent!" Chanyeol beams back at him. "Enjoy your vacation, sir! Trust me, once we land on the island and have the chance to mingle with the natives, you'll be glad you decided to travel solo," Chanyeol adds jokingly.   
  
Maybe it's a trick of the light, but the man seems to grimace for a split second. His expression smoothes out almost instantaneously, though, as he thanks Chanyeol and drags his luggage away behind him.   
  
Although all the guests on board the ship seek a change of pace, looking for a restful week of languid indulgence, for the cruise staff, each tour is anything but restful.   
  
Chanyeol catches his roommate in a collapsed heap on Chanyeol's bottom bunk. He clears his throat lightly and Jongdae just groans, "Gimme a minute. I just spent the past couple hours cleaning up after the last passengers. They left messes in places I didn't even know exist."  
  
"It's okay. I don't want you to hurt yourself climbing up to the top bunk because you're too tired to move. You're welcome in my bed anytime," Chanyeol says with a wink, laughing when his roommate jerks his head up.   
  
"Don't say that kind of thing when Jongin's around, okay? He gets insecure," Jongdae warns, springing suddenly back to life.   
  
"Sure, sure," Chanyeol laughs good naturedly. "For someone so shy, he's pretty unabashed on stage. I think I saw him kiss Sehun on the cheek during last night's performance."  
  
"We don't talk about that, okay?" Jongdae fumes. "They're both dancers, they have to get into character when they're performing."  
  
"If you say so. Looked to me like they were really into it..."  
  
"Sehun's not even his type!" he snaps. "He likes guys who are small and compact, like me. That way he can-"  
  
"Alright, alright, see you later!" Chanyeol announces, closing the door behind him before he can learn about how his friends take advantage of their height difference.   
  
Laptop tucked under his arm and camera in its bag, he jogs to the printing office for his own race against the clock. With a learned efficiency, Chanyeol processes and prints literally thousands of photos each tour. He always has deadlines to hit: these boarding photos in particular must be edited, printed, and put on display before dinner starts. And then the photos that he will take during dinner need to be ready before the nighttime entertainment begins.   
  
From one photo to the next, Chanyeol pauses at each only long enough to fiddle with the brightness and edit out the occasional photo bomber. Most of the time, it's accidental and the person doesn't realize they're in the frame, but sometimes people do strange things for no apparent reason.   
  
When he reaches the blond man who had boarded the ship alone, Chanyeol can't help but take an extra minute to zoom in on the photo to study the man's handsome face. Under the harsh sunlight, his skin is positively luminous and his large square teeth are blindingly white. But his smile doesn't quite reach his soft, fragile looking dark eyes.   
  
"Who are you, and why do you look so sad," Chanyeol murmurs, adjusting the brightness levels and hitting the print button. By the time he has finished printing all the photos, the cruise director Kyungsoo is standing in the doorway, tapping his foot in impatience.   
  
"We ran out of schedules, so I have to print fifty more." The ship hasn't even left the dock yet, and Kyungsoo is already irritated. It's going to be a long week, Chanyeol can just tell.   
  
"Alright, alright, I'm going," Chanyeol says, clapping him on the back as he leaves.   
  
  
  
  
As much as Chanyeol loves his job, it's always a bit tricky when he's starving out of his mind and trying to take photos of guests as they gorge themselves on gourmet dinners. It's almost ironic that Chanyeol would even be hungry on a ship with hundreds of passengers who are basically there to gormandize for a week. But cruises are always a lot more fun for the people paying than the people getting paid.   
  
"Yixing!" he calls out as he passes by the kitchen. "How have you been?"  
  
He's greeted with a sweet dimpled smile from the head chef. "Busy. How about yourself?"  
  
"Hungry," Chanyeol admits.  
  
"Wait here just a second."  
  
Chanyeol nods, eyeing the platters of filet mignons waiting to be served. A few moments later, Yixing returns with a cup of vanilla soufflé and a spoon. He hands it to Chanyeol with a wink.   
  
"Oh my god, that's my favorite! Thank you so much, Xing, you're the best!" Chanyeol eagerly accepts the dessert, wolfing it down within a few bites.   
  
"Anything for the one who helped me win my darling's heart."  
  
"That was nothing! Sehunnie was head over heels for you, he just needed a little nudge in the right direction."  
  
Yixing smiles warmly at him, and Chanyeol hands the empty cup to Baekhyun, the dishwasher.   
  
"I was just talking to your boyfriend a minute ago!" Chanyeol says to Sehun, when he sees the dancer who is currently dressed up as a pirate. "You taking over the pirate photo op for tonight?"  
  
Sehun nods, smiling shyly at the mention of Yixing.   
  
"Great, let's go!"  
  
It takes a little less time than usual with Sehun. They skip all the tables with small children, as they tend to get easily startled by the sight of Sehun's looming figure in his pirate gear, thick eyeliner, and fake beard. They have reached virtually every table in the restaurant by the time they get to the blond man, who is sitting by himself at a table for two, perusing a menu.   
  
He jumps, startled, and lets out a small yelp when he sees Sehun standing behind him.   
  
"Don't worry, he's not a real pirate!" Chanyeol chirps brightly, and the man blushes, unable to look the photographer in the eye.   
  
"Excuse me sir, can you look up and smile for me? Beautiful, thank you!" Chanyeol snaps a photo and then tucks the camera into its bag. "Looks like we're done here, Sehunnie!"  
  
"Good. See you at the show tonight," the dancer says tersely, pulling off his pirate hat to ruffle his hair before leaving the restaurant.   
  
"Have a good evening, sir, I hope you enjoy the rest of your meal," Chanyeol says, inclining his head towards the man before turning to leave.   
  
"Wait!"  
  
Chanyeol whirls back around. His chest tightens at the desperate, pleading look in the mans eyes.   
  
"What's the matter?" he asks.   
  
"I, uh, was wondering. Since you're done, would you want to stay and have dinner with me? If you want. I mean, um, I could use the company..." His voice trails away at the end.   
  
"Only if you buy me dessert," Chanyeol says smoothly, flashing a dimple.   
  
"Y-yeah, anything!"   
  
Maybe it's his hunger or the subtle lurch of the ship now that it has set sail, but the sight of the man in a suit and tie with his blond hair styled up has Chanyeol feeling lightheaded as he takes a seat across the table.   
  
"So, what's your name?" Chanyeol asks, feeling ready to stop referring to him as "the man".   
  
"Joonmyun. And you're Chanyeol?"  
  
"How'd ya know?"  
  
"Your name tag," Joonmyun giggles.   
  
"Right. Well, nice to meet you, Joonmyun." They shake hands, and Chanyeol silently rolls the name around on his tongue. He like the way it feels. "So what do you for a living, Joonmyun?"  
  
"I'm a middle school geography teacher!" he answers, his eyes lighting up.   
  
"Wow, you must know so much about a lot of different places all over the world..."  
  
"I certainly hope so," Joonmyun chuckles.   
  
"Do you travel a lot?"  
  
"Not as much as I'd like to," he admits ruefully. "I've been to Paris, once, for my anniversary with my ex-girlfriend... But that's about it."  
  
"Oh, um, that's one hell of an anniversary present." Chanyeol isn't sure if he should secretly lament the fact that Joonmyun said "ex-girlfriend."  
  
"Yeah... This cruise was actually supposed to be for this year's anniversary, but..."  
  
"Oh. Oh man, I'm sorry to hear that..." Their conversation is taking a sad turn, so Chanyeol reaches out to hold Joonmyun's hand without even thinking.  
  
"It happens," Joonmyun shrugs. "What can you do. I had spent so long planning and saving up for this trip that it would be a waste to just cancel it, you know?"  
  
"Yeah, I totally understand."  
  
"What I don't understand, though," Joonmyun groans, "is women. She always complained that I didn't pay enough attention to or spend enough time with her. So I booked this vacation, and then she said that I was just trying to buy her love. Sometimes I just don't get women, you know?"  
  
"Yeah," Chanyeol agrees, without thinking. "Wait, actually, no. Women are, uh, nice and all, but they're not really my type?"  
  
"Oh," Joonmyun says, his eyes widening as he glances down to where Chanyeol is still holding onto his hand. "I understand. That's...wonderful. Good for you."  
  
"Thanks..."  
  
“Maybe this is too early of a confession, but I’ve kinda always wanted to…”  
  
“To do what?” Chanyeol prompts gently.  
  
“Ah, never mind,” Joonmyun mutters, his cheeks warming in embarrassment.   
  
Their awkward conversation is rescued from becoming even more awkward when Luhan arrives to take their order.   
  
"Ready to order? Oh, hey, Chanyeol! Terrorizing another nice old man?"   
  
It seems that only Chanyeol is immune to Luhan's true nature lurking beneath his angelic appearance.   
  
"O-of course not! I invited him to sit with me!" Joonmyun protests on Chanyeol's behalf, and the photographer beams at him, giving his hand a squeeze.   
  
Luhan cackles in delight when he sees their hands intertwined. It's strange, nobody seems to find Luhan's behavior alarming the way that Chanyeol knows that it clearly is.   
  
"I see what this is about," Luhan says with a maniacal grin twisting his face in the most frightening of ways.   
  
"I'm going to have a molten chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream, thanks," Chanyeol announces, shoving his menu in the waiter's general direction.   
  
"And for you, sir?" Luhan asks, schooling his face into a more delicate expression.   
  
"I'll have the same," Joonmyun says, and Chanyeol is almost relieved to see him slightly shaken. At least he now knows one other person who seems to find Luhan as terrifying as Chanyeol does himself.   
  
"We have the friendliest, most hardworking staff out of any cruise line," Chanyeol assures him.   
  
After some light conversation over dessert about Chanyeol’s ambitions (which are highly nebulous at this point in time), he excuses himself. There is a little over an hour before the evening's entertainment begins, and he still has to edit and print the photos from dinner.   
  
Zitao, another dancer, is at the photo booth when Chanyeol arrives, carrying a stack of freshly printed snapshots.   
  
"Thank god you're here, I have to get ready for the show tonight!" he bursts, shoving Chanyeol behind the cash register to deal with an alarmed looking customer trying to purchase her embarkment photo.   
  
"Break a leg!" Chanyeol calls out to the figure rushing away towards the performance hall.   
  
When Chanyeol isn't manning the photo booth, there is usually a performer there to sell the photos on display. Because the cruise dancers and singers have no official duties besides performing shows in the evenings, they take on minor jobs here and there. Everybody on the cruise ship helps out any way they can.   
  
Thus, when a panicked Jongdae bursts into their cabin while Chanyeol is changing into civilian clothes, panicking about a knocked over shelf in the gift shop, Chanyeol abandons his plans to watch the evening performance in order to help rectify the mess. Apparently Kyungsoo is distraught, which is potentially dangerous for all the staff onboard. Besides, Chanyeol has seen the show millions of times already.   
  
He smells the disaster before he sees it. Coughing and tugging his shirt up over his nose, Chanyeol enters the gift shop, where there is a colorful constellation of shattered glass scattered across the floor. The carpet is drenched in perfumes that cost more than what Chanyeol makes in a day. Someone hands him a pair of rubber gloves and a face mask, and he joins the huddle of ship employees crouching on the floor.   
  
It's a long night of cleaning up an entire department store's worth of perfume bottles and apologizing to unfortunate passengers who have to pass by the mess in order to return to their cabin. Chanyeol is just glad that he has the sinecure of library duty tomorrow.   
  
  
  
  
For most of the morning and afternoon, Chanyeol reads magazines he bought during his hours onshore while supervising the ship's library, which is essentially a lounge area with a couple bookshelves. He just has to spend a few hours making sure none of the senior citizens make off with the ship-owned board games, and then he's free for the evening.   
  
There are a few older guests watching the ocean through the windows, and a group of teenagers is playing a rather heated game of Monopoly. But close to the end of his shift, a familiar and not at all unwelcome face enters the library.   
  
"Hey, Joonmyun! What's up?"  
  
For some reason, the man looks glum.   
  
"I just got kicked out of the casino."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
It happens surprisingly frequently, but Joonmyun didn't really strike Chanyeol as the type to gamble, let alone to be forcefully removed from the casino.   
  
"I just wanted to buy another bingo card," he grumbles. "But apparently there's a limit to how many you can buy and how many games you can play. I might have gotten...a little worked up.”  
  
"You got kicked out of high stakes bingo?" Chanyeol asks almost incredulously.   
  
"Look, I'm not a gambler. I don't even buy lottery tickets. I just like bingo."  
  
"Did you win at least once?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Hey, how about we play checkers or something!" Chanyeol suggests brightly, hoping to erase the frown from Joonmyun's face. Joonmyun reluctantly agrees, but he starts grinning again once Chanyeol loses on purpose for several games in a row.   
  
"Wow, you're really good at this!" Chanyeol congratulates him when the sky has darkened and it's way past the time Chanyeol's shift was supposed to end. "I'm really sorry, but I have to take some portraits this evening, it's one of the cruise photographer services."  
  
Joonmyun glances at his watch, and his eyes widen in surprise. "Wow, I didn't realize how long we were playing! I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to monopolize your time-"  
  
"It's fine, really. I enjoyed playing with you, actually." Chanyeol flashes him a grin, and Joonmyun's lips automatically twitch into a smile.  
  
"Thanks," he whispers. "I liked playing with you, too."  
  
"Well then, maybe we can play together again at tomorrow's excursion once we reach the shore."  
  
"W-what?" Joonmyun's dark eyes are soft, uncomprehending. "I mean- yeah! Of course!"  
  
"Great! Are you going to the beach when we land?"  
  
"Yeah. I actually made, um, reservations."  
  
"Really, where?"  
  
"At a beachside resort. It's all-inclusive."  
  
"Oh. Uh, in that case, I'm not sure if I'll be able to go to the beach with you then... My job comes with a lot of perks, but I don't think that's included..."  
  
"I made reservations for two, actually," Joonmyun adds quickly. "They wouldn't allow me to cancel, so I've got an extra pass!"  
  
"Yeah?" Chanyeol asks hopefully, trying not to grin too hard.   
  
"Yeah," Joonmyun affirms. "So would you...do you think you'd want to come to the resort with me?" He looks down, suddenly shy.   
  
"Yeah!" Chanyeol exclaims.   
  
"Okay." Joonmyun bites his small, but full lower lip. "I'll meet you at the dock tomorrow then. And we can take a bus to the beach resort."  
  
"Sounds good!"  
  
Chanyeol beams at the smaller man who returns him a pleased smile.   
  
  
  
  
The ocean water is textured with what appears to be thin slashes. Looking closer, Joonmyun realizes that the slashes are actually tiny minnows that dart away when he wades deeper into the water. There's a large splash to Joonmyun's left as Chanyeol gleefully submerges himself into the salty ocean and swims out further, until he's neck deep.   
  
"Come over here, hyung, the water feels so nice!" he calls out.   
  
"I can't, it's too cold!"   
  
Joonmyun shrieks and recoils when the waves crash onto shore and lick his belly button. Chanyeol paddles back to Joonmyun to hook an arm around his waist and pull him deeper into the ocean. When the water reaches his chin, Joonmyun stops thrashing in protest and instead clings onto Chanyeol.   
  
"No deeper, please. I'm not good at swimming," Joonmyun requests with worry, his toes barely brushing the ocean floor.   
  
"Hey, it's okay. Just...hold onto me okay? I won't let you float away, I promise."  
  
Joonmyun wraps his arms around Chanyeol's neck and locks his ankles around the taller man's back. He rests his chin on Chanyeol's shoulder. The faint traces of stubble on his chin prickle Chanyeol's skin, but Joonmyun's legs are smooth and hairless, like a girl's. He's slim and small, even more weightless in the water. The incoming current pushes Chanyeol back, and Joonmyun tightens his grip.   
  
The sweltering heat of direct sunlight is tempered by the coolness of the water, and with Joonmyun straddling his waist, Chanyeol feels like he's tasting paradise. He feels the gentle rise and fall of Joonmyun's chest, gentle like the waves curling towards the shore. It's relaxing in a way Chanyeol hasn't felt all summer, and he drinks in every moment.   
  
Before long, he hears a sluggish yawn from the shorter man.   
  
"Tired?"  
  
"I had too much for lunch... I'm just...sleepy..."  
  
"Let's go back to the beach then. We can take a nap, okay?"  
  
Joonmyun yawns again and nods with his cheek pressed against Chanyeol's neck. He allows Chanyeol to carry him back to shore and gently lay him down on their adjacent towels under the shade of a palm tree.   
  
"I have something to tell you..." Joonmyun mumbles, his eyes already closed. "It's been on my mind for awhile, and I want to get it off my chest."  
  
"Hmmm?" Chanyeol looks over at him. With his eyes closed, his chin tucked in, and his hands folded daintily over his chest, Joonmyun looks so much younger than he did when they first met just two days ago. In fact, after two days of gourmet dining at every meal, his cheeks have even started to round out, softening the sharp angles of his face.   
  
"Did you hear about the shelf that got knocked over at the gift shop?"  
  
"Yeah. I helped clean it up actually. What about it?"  
  
"Oh. I'm...sorry..." Joonmyun's looking apprehensively at Chanyeol now. "I was the one who knocked it over... I was trying on a pair of sunglasses, and I walked backwards, looking at myself in the mirror. And then I tripped and tried to grab onto the nearest shelf, but I needed up knocking it over."  
  
"Are you okay? Did the shelf fall on you or anything, did you get hurt?"  
  
"No!" Joonmyun says hastily. "I mean, yeah, I'm fine. I ran away before it crashed and anyone could tell I knocked it over. I just felt so bad for making a mess... I heard some employees grumbling about it later..."  
  
"Don't worry about it," Chanyeol tells him firmly. "It's our job, we're supposed to clean up messes. As long as you're not hurt, there's nothing to worry about!"  
  
"Thanks." Joonmyun smiles easily, turning on his side to face Chanyeol. He looks visibly relieved.   
  
Chanyeol grins back and reaches out a finger to trace the planes of Joonmyun's belly, causing him to shriek and push Chanyeol’s hand away. All the droplets of ocean water have already evaporated from his skin, leaving it smooth and warm. There is a softness to it now, and Joonmyun sucks in his stomach self-consciously.   
  
"I ate too much at the lunch buffet," he moans. "Actually, I ate too much this whole week. I haven't had a decent meal since my girlfriend left, and now I'm surrounded by so much good food."  
  
"Good, that's what you're supposed to do. Just rest, relax, and-" Chanyeol stops talking when he sees that Joonmyun has promptly dozed off, falling victim to his food coma.   
  
The languid heat and mild breeze have a narcotic effect and soon Chanyeol, too, is drifting off to sleep.   
  
By the time Chanyeol stirs from his nap, the sun has changed position, shifting the shade of the palm tree away from them. Not wanting to wake Joonmyun, who is still in slumber, Chanyeol digs through his beach bag to find a bottle of sunscreen. Without the shade, they are especially susceptible to burning. He dispenses a dollop into his palm and then smoothes it across Joonmyun's shoulders and back, kneading the lotion into his supple skin.   
  
"Nnnngghh," Joonmyun mumbles groggily, still half asleep. "That feels amazing."  
  
Chanyeol feels amazed, too, with Joonmyun under his fingertips. The blond man looks even more petite with Chanyeol's long fingers splayed across his skin.   
  
"You could fit into the palm of my hand," he muses aloud. Joonmyun tucks himself into fetal position in response, blinking at Chanyeol. A grin slowly spreads across his face, and his dark eyes light up in a way that reminds Chanyeol of a night sky filled with stars.   
  
"Good, because I don't feel like walking."  
  
After basking in the sun, they return for another dip in the ocean. Their skin is salty from the ocean water and gritty from the sand, so they rinse off as the sun is setting before returning to the ship.   
  
"I wish I could live on the beach forever," Joonmyun sighs as the bus pulls away.   
  
It's formal dining night at the cruise ship restaurant, which means that Chanyeol is back on duty, taking snapshots of guests in their swanky tuxedos and cocktail dresses. Chanyeol spots Joonmyun, whose hair is styled up, pushed away from his forehead.   
  
Joonmyun sees him and waves eagerly, his eyes lighting up.  _Just a minute_ , Chanyeol mouths, lifting a finger up. Joonmyun nods and continues buttering a bread roll. It pains Chanyeol to see Joonmyun sitting with an empty chair across from him. His skinny legs are crossed, drawing his body in even more diminutively. He remembers how Joonmyun had curled into a ball on his beach towel as they whiled away the afternoon together napping on the beach, and his heart hurts even more.   
  
Chanyeol tries to ignore the hopeful glances Joonmyun tosses in his direction as he stops by table after table for photos. Finally, he reaches Joonmyun's table, which he had saved for last, anticipating how difficult it would be when he must eventually tear himself away.   
  
By the time Chanyeol reaches Joonmyun, relieved of his photographer duties for the moment, Joonmyun's entrée has already been picked clean. There are still a few bread rolls left over, and Chanyeol takes one at Joonmyun's insistence. The table is adjacent to a porthole with a breathtaking view of the serene waters stretching in every direction. The moon is a broad white disk skirting the horizon, diffusing a romantic glow that illuminates the dark ocean.   
  
"One more full day, and then it's back to reality, huh?" Chanyeol says with melancholy jest.   
  
"Yeah, I suppose. It's hard to believe how quickly this week has gone by. I don't know how I'm going to return to my job at the end of this month. I've never felt so unmotivated to do anything in my life."  
  
Chanyeol laughs heartily. "Doing nothing but sitting around and eating for a few days straight can have that effect on you. It's exhausting, in its own way."  
  
"What about you, Chanyeol? Another tour after this one?"  
  
"I'm returning to the real world, as well. I have to finish up one more year of school, and then hopefully find a real job."  
  
"You're not going to return to this one?"  
  
"The thing is, I'm definitely gonna miss the sights, the friends I've made, the forced-fun atmosphere. But I really hope cruise photography won't be the pinnacle of my career, you know?"  
  
Joonmyun nods thoughtfully and smiles. "I was really lucky to have met you," he decides, catching Chanyeol by surprise.   
  
"What makes you say that?" Chanyeol asks carefully.   
  
"I don't know, it just seems that luck hasn't exactly been on my side lately," Joonmyun explains, his lips twisting ruefully. "My girlfriend bumped into an old flame at the grocery store the weekend before we were supposed to leave this vacation."  
  
"Oh. That's...really unfortunate. I'm sorry."  
  
"It seems little in comparison, but I'd always be just one square away from winning bingo."  
  
"Hey, one of these days, you might get lucky!"  
  
"Meeting you, Chanyeol, I think I already have," Joonmyun says with a grateful smile. His cuteness is almost too overwhelming for Chanyeol. They've talked about where they're from, and the chances of them bumping into each other again after leaving the ship are slim to none.   
  
"Cool, yeah," Chanyeol agrees, too busy thinking to formulate a tactful response. "So what are your plans for tonight? And tomorrow?"  
  
"Um, probably watch the show and then go to bed. I actually feel kind of tired from the excursion."  
  
"Doing nothing but eating food and taking naps all day will do that to you," Chanyeol laughs. "I have to deal with these photos before the show begins, so I guess I'll see you at the theater once I'm finished."  
  
"Sure, of course. Take your time."  
  
It's twenty minutes into the evening entertainment by the time Chanyeol is finished. He knows that most of the guests, including Joonmyun, are being dazzled by the dancers and singers. Meanwhile, Chanyeol's friends on the cruise staff are busy cleaning up after the passengers around the ship and preparing their cabins for the evening.   
  
Chanyeol thinks about the fact that he has less than forty-eight hours before he and Joonmyun, as well as his other friends, part ways. Everything in the gift shop is on discount to anyone willing to tolerate the suffocating pungency of the spilled perfumes from the day before. Chanyeol is made of tougher stuff than most of the passengers, so he stops by the gift shop on his way to his own cabin.   
  
He buys a teddy bear wearing a maid's outfit for Jongdae, a box of chocolates for Sehun and Yixing to share, and an engraved teaspoon for Kyungsoo. He's on a tight budget. After selecting gifts for his friends, Chanyeol digs through the plushie bin and finds a penguin wearing a cozy red scarf. For some reason, it reminds him of Joonmyun.   
  
Chanyeol hides the gifts for his friends in his suitcase to give to them on the last day of the cruise, after the guests have left and before Chanyeol leaves the ship for good. But for Joonmyun, he's too eager to wait for that long.   
  
"You have a master key, right?" Chanyeol asks Jongdae, who is making his rounds on one of the residential decks. He leans on Jongdae's cart, which is stacked with cleaning supplies and fresh sheets and towels.   
  
"You know I do," Jongdae says, eyeing Chanyeol suspiciously.   
  
"Well, I was wondering if I could borrow it, just for a minute."  
  
"You're not trying to break into a guest's room, are you?"  
  
"What the hell? Of course not!"  
  
"I don't know, Chanyeol. You didn't sound outraged enough just now, I'm starting to think you really are planning something bad."  
  
Chanyeol doesn't usually resort to violence, but he suddenly has an urge to physically harm Kim Jongdae. He makes the socially acceptable decision to ask nicely again and then the slightly less acceptable decision to hold Jongdae in a headlock until the steward hands the key over.   
  
"You have fifteen minutes," Jongdae coughs, "or else you're taking over my housekeeping duties for the rest of the evening."  
  
It takes Chanyeol a minute to figure out Joonmyun's cabin number after taking a peek at Jongdae's copy of the room assignments. He paces down the labyrinthine hallway, passing cabin after cabin, until he reaches Joonmyun's, which is tucked away in a corner. Chanyeol recognizes that it's one of the special honeymoon cabins.   
  
The room is spacious with a king sized bed and a large window that provides a picturesque view of the ocean. Knowing that Joonmyun is seated at the theater, Chanyeol swipes the room key and twists the door handle to enter the cabin. That’s when he hears soft, breathy moans floating out from inside the room.  
  
Joonmyun is laying on the bed, his bare legs splayed in a diamond with his knees spread and ankles crossed. His shirt and tie are still on, but his pants are bunched around his ankles. Joonmyun's eyes are closed until the door swings shut behind Chanyeol, and it’s too late to escape.   
  
He looks up at Chanyeol with debauched eyes and a fist around his cock. "Chanyeol," he rasps.   
  
"Can...can I help you, hyung? Or- or should I go...?" Chanyeol suddenly realizes how tightly he's clutching onto the penguin plushie and lays it down on the dresser.   
  
"Help...please."  
  
Joonmyun groans in relief when Chanyeol wraps his fingers around the base of his cock and tugs up to the tip. His hips twitch upwards, seeking more stimulation, more friction, and Chanyeol obliges, dragging his fist up and down Joonmyun's length. He lowers his head and traces circles around the tip with his tongue, barely comprehending the turn of events.   
  
Chanyeol watches hungrily as Joonmyun writhes and gasps under his touch. Joonmyun's slim, elegant fingers clench the sheets, wrinkling the ivory linen as he is enveloped by Chanyeol's warm mouth. His breathing gets heavier and he lets go of the fabric with one hand to seek out Chanyeol's free hand. Their skin brushes and Joonmyun threads his fingers through Chanyeol's, tightening his grip before spilling into Chanyeol's throat.   
  
Chest heaving and cheeks flushed pink, Joonmyun tilts up Chanyeol's chin so that their eyes meet. Joonmyun's eyes are hooded with lust, so naturally Chanyeol asks, "Weren't you supposed to be at the theater?"  
  
Joonmyun's bottom lip juts out in disapproval, and he curls a fist into the front of Chanyeol's shirt, yanking him close until their eyes are inches apart. He leans in even closer, closing his eyes and tilting his head slightly to his right. Chanyeol holds his breath when he feels Joonmyun's lips brush against his, but he can't hold back a moan when Joonmyun bites down on his lower lip.   
  
He kisses with experience, just the right amount of edge, and Chanyeol is more than happy to let him take the reins. Out of the corner of his eye, Chanyeol sees the clock and he knows that he will receive a clobbering if he doesn't return the key to Jongdae within the next couple minutes.   
  
"I have to go soon," Chanyeol murmurs, brushing Joonmyun's warm cheek with his thumb. "And by soon, I mean now. I, uh, got you something.” He rolls off the bed and hands Joonmyun the penguin plushie. He leaves the cabin with Joonmyun sitting cross-legged in the middle of the bed, clutching the plushie to his chest.  
  
“Why is your hair like that? Your hair wasn’t like that fifteen minutes ago,” Jongdae says immediately as Chanyeol hands him the key.   
  
Chanyeol laughs uneasily and pats his roommate on the back.   
  
“If you did have a quickie, I hope you at least remembered to say goodbye like a decent human being,” Jongdae says with his eyes narrowed suspiciously. “I feel like that’s something you would forget.”  
  
“You have so little faith in- fuck!”  
  
He tries to ignore Jongdae’s cackles as he races down the hallway searching for Joonmyun’s cabin.   
  
“What are you doing back here?”   
  
Joonmyun has changed into a ratty t-shirt and plaid boxers, and he answers the door still carrying the penguin in the crook of his arm.  
  
“I came here to say...bye? No, that’s not right.”  
  
He frowns, and Joonmyun giggles.   
  
“I hope you didn’t come all the way here just to say bye.”   
  
Joonmyun drags Chanyeol by the wrist into the the room with an inviting smile and pushes him onto the bed. Chanyeol’s heart pounds in anticipation as Joonmyun crawls onto his lap. He kisses Chanyeol softly on the cheek, reaching down to unbutton his jeans and slip his hand into Chanyeol’s boxers.   
  
Kissing him languidly, Joonmyun palms Chanyeol to full hardness. Chanyeol feels like he’s been robbed of his breath and takes a moment to recover when Joonmyun climbs off his lap. But then Joonmyun starts pulling Chanyeol’s jeans all the way off, as well as his own clothes.   
  
“I’ve never…. So can you…?” Joonmyun asks when they are both fully unclothed. He looks at Chanyeol with beseeching eyes.  
  
“What? What are you talking about? ...Oh. OH.” Chanyeol’s face warms as Joonmyun settles onto his back and spreads his legs.   
  
“Did you bring any…?” Chanyeol asks, and Joonmyun shakes his head, biting his lip.  
  
“I honestly didn’t think I would…you know,” he explains with a sheepish laugh.  
  
“Oh. Right, yeah. Um, I’ll try to be gentle, I promise.”  
  
Without any lubricant other than his own saliva, Chanyeol stretches Joonmyun slowly, cautiously, until Joonmyun whines at him to fuck him harder. Joonmyun is deliciously tight, and he bucks his hips to match Chanyeol's thrusts, digging his heels into Chanyeol's back.   
  
When he feels himself coming close, Joonmyun once again reaches for Chanyeol's hand seemingly out of habit. Chanyeol leans down for a sloppy kiss, and his heart swells at the way Joonmyun whimpers into his mouth, spilling cum across his belly.   
  
Joonmyun clenches even tighter around Chanyeol and reaches up to nibble at his earlobe, and it's an overload of sensations, too much for Chanyeol to last much longer. He tries to pull out when he's just about to tip over the edge, but Joonmyun locks his ankles around Chanyeol's back until he's completely filled with Chanyeol.   
  
With their hands still interlocked, Joonmyun idly dabs at himself with a wad of tissues while Chanyeol sighs happily and runs his fingers through his damp locks.   
  
"How about we just take a shower?" he suggests, and Joonmyun agrees eagerly.   
  
  
  
  
"Don't you have anything you want to do? It's the last day on the ship, your last chance to win bingo," Chanyeol jokes when Joonmyun insists on following him to the library.   
  
Joonmyun shakes his head, and Chanyeol brushes away the blond strands of hair that tumble into his eyes.   
  
"Well, I have to stay here until the afternoon, so unless you want to play board games for the next few hours..." Chanyeol says doubtfully.   
  
"Yeah! I'd love to!" His smile is both sweet and hopeful.   
  
Whether or not Joonmyun realizes that Chanyeol lets him win on purpose is uncertain, but he still laughs and claps in delight whenever Chanyeol pretends to flip the table over in a frustrated rage. Nothing beats the consolatory kiss that Joonmyun offers afterwards.  
  
The hours melt into the saccharine sunset as the ship reaches the dock. Chanyeol constantly asks Joonmyun if there’s anything he wants to do on the ship before embarkation begins, but Joonmyun assures him he would rather stay with Chanyeol during their dwindling hours together. If there is anything Joonmyun would prefer doing besides watching Chanyeol take last minute portraits and processing photos during the last hours on board, he shows no sign of it. Chanyeol begs Kyungsoo to let him have one last real dinner on the ship, since it’s the last night of his last tour on the Atlantic Thunder.   
  
Even the other waiters smile when they see Chanyeol and Joonmyun both dressed in suits and ties, sharing a hushed, but excited conversation across the table from each other. Before the end of dinner, Yixing steps out to thank the guests on behalf of the entire kitchen. He thanks the servers and the staff and then tearfully announces that it is his last night on the ship.   
  
"I've enjoyed every minute of my journey with all of you on the Atlantic Thunder, but I will be soon embarking on a new journey as a French pâtissier."  
  
Chanyeol stands up to enthusiastically applaud Yixing, and the other guests join in in congratulating the chef.   
  
"Thank you," Yixing says, ducking his head bashfully. "But if there's anyone who deserves a hand, it's Sehunnie. He got accepted into the Paris Opera Ballet!"  
  
He beams, tugging on Sehun, who smiles and waves shyly at the crowd's applause.   
  
"That's so sweet," Joonmyun says when the restaurant has quieted down. "They get to stay together even when they're in a different part of the world."  
  
"Yeah," Chanyeol agrees, but his heart feels heavy at the thought of his own debarkation. He'll get to reunite with his school friends when he returns to land, but what then? He's always been a little apprehensive of life after graduation, but at the same time, Chanyeol firmly believes that things have a way of working out in the end.   
  
  
  
  
"You remembered to say goodbye this time, right?"  
  
"You have so little faith in- oof!" Chanyeol's retort is cut short when Jongdae launches himself onto him with a surprising amount of force for someone his size.   
  
"I'm going to miss you so much, you large idiot. Thanks for the teddy bear, too, even though I don't understand why it's wearing a maid outfit."  
  
"Isn't that what you do? Aren't you a maid?"  
  
"That's steward to you," Jongdae grumbles good-naturedly, punching Chanyeol on the shoulder. "I don't think I'll be one for much longer, though. I've got my eye on the Peace Corps."  
  
"Really? That's so great! Good luck, Jongdae. With whatever you do. I mean it."  
  
"You too, Chanyeol. Best of luck."  
  
  
  
  
"Thank you so much for the chocolate." Yixing smiles sweetly, and lets go of Sehun's hand to give Chanyeol a hug. A couple seconds later, Sehun shuffles towards them to hug Chanyeol, too, sandwiching Yixing between them.   
  
"Good luck in France, Yixing. You too, Sehun. Take good care of Yixing for me, okay?"  
  
"He will. Or at least, he'll try," Yixing laughs with a twinkle in his eye.   
  
  
  
  
"Why the hell did you give me a teaspoon."  
  
Chanyeol frowns, puzzled. "I thought you liked baking?"  
  
Kyungsoo rolls his eyes in exasperation. "Why does everyone think I like baking?"  
  
"Ah, um, I'm sorry..."  
  
"No, no, it's okay, I accept your gift."  
  
"Um, thank you?" Chanyeol chuckles awkwardly.   
  
"You're very welcome, Chanyeol. I have to say, I'm sad to see you go, but I appreciate everything you've done for the ship and all of her passengers," Kyungsoo says solemnly, gripping Chanyeol in a firm handshake. "Bon voyage."  
  
  
  
  
"Hey, what are you still doing here?"  
  
By the time Chanyeol disembarks the ship, nearly two hours have passed since the passengers were supposed to leave. But sitting outside the port customs building is Joonmyun, with his suitcase leaning against the bench.   
  
"I was hoping to see you one more time before I went to the airport," Joonmyun admits.   
  
Chanyeol's cheeks feel suddenly very warm. "Wow, uh, thank you. I hope you didn't miss your flight or anything, but I'm glad that I got to see you before you left."  
  
"I'm glad I got to see you too," Joonmyun whispers, standing on his tip toes to press his cheek to Chanyeol's. He mouths a soft kiss against Chanyeol's jaw. "Bye, Chanyeol."  
  
Chanyeol is too choked up with emotion to utter a response. He's always been bad at saying goodbye.   
  
  
  
  
"Okay, okay, I'll be there in five minutes, I just took a wrong turn a few streets back," Chanyeol assures Minseok. It's their first story for the newspaper, with Minseok reporting and Chanyeol keeping photo documentation.   
  
"Took you long enough," Minseok teases lightheartedly when Chanyeol pulls up to the curb.   
  
"Thanks for waiting for me hyung. So who are we interviewing again? What's the scoop?"  
  
"This guy just won the jackpot in the national lottery. Almost a billion before taxes. His name's Kim Joonmyun I think?"  
  
Chanyeol stares at him with his mouth agape, and Minseok laughs. "Crazy, right? Must be one lucky guy. I heard you're statistically more likely to be mauled by a polar bear and a grizzly bear on the same day than to win the lottery."  
  
He knocks on the door. "Hey, there's the lucky man!" Minseok exclaims when Joonmyun appears in the doorway.   
  
"Yes...I am," Joonmyun breathes, breaking into a crinkly-eyed grin upon seeing Chanyeol.   
  
"So, what's the first thing you're going to do now that you're a made man?" Minseok asks, breaking out his pen and notebook. "Quit your job? Buy a yacht?"  
  
"No, no, I love my job too much to quit. The yacht though...sounds tempting."  
  
Minseok chuckles. "Of course. Anyone special you're going to share it with?"  
  
Chanyeol stops snapping photos and watches with bated breath as Joonmyun bites his lip in ponderance.   
  
"What do you think, Chanyeol? How does living on a yacht sound?" Joonmyun eyes Chanyeol shyly, and Minseok's eyebrows shoot up in surprise.   
  
"Sounds...like I'm the lucky one," Chanyeol stammers, still in a state of disbelief. The last few minutes have passed like a dream, but it feels undeniably real when Joonmyun leaps into his arms, solid and warm.   
  
  



End file.
